First Meetings
by coldwaralliance
Summary: A gjinka (Human hybrid version of pokemon) rp Worse then even a lowly commoner, Piper is a dreaded forester. Better off then any one else in the city, Gideon is a noble. One day they cross paths and Giddy, being incredibly lazy, tempts Piper to do his chores with the tempting promise of a book. The encounter that started an avalanche that started a chain-reaction of events.
1. The jerk

**wingedhatchling**Piper pulled her dark blue hood down over her darker blue hair. She stayed glued to her older brother's side. He certainly didn't mind as he had his arm around her. He was her middle elder brother, Slith. Well he was sort of her elder brother, he was really a third-cousin, but Piper didn't know that. He kept her close glaring at any male that dared look at them. Piper was too distracted looking at the different wagons containing items and searching for her youngest brother to notice her middle brothers glare.  
**SwissArmySpork**"Oh come on, he doesn't hate you!" Eldon looked over at his brother, who walked with his head hunched down, glaring at the ground, " Remember how I thought he hated me, because I refused to wear all that frilly stuff?" Eldon stuck his tongue out as if disgusted by the memory, "That's just how he treats everyone. Yours evolving just made you notice it more, is all." Gideon looked over at him dully, arching an eye-brow, "Uh huh. Then tell me, why are the servants not fit for grocery shopping all of the sudden, hm? I tell you, this is passive-aggressiveness. First, we have to go out fetch something, next we have to clean the manor, and before you know it we're sleeping in the servant's quarters." He finished with a toss of his head, his hair briefly hiding his glowering expression. Eldon ducked his head down guiltily, "Actually, I volunteered us to go. I figured you could use a walk. Seriously, sitting around writing that weird murder-suicide poetry can't be healthy." Giddy looked at his brother with something akin to pity, " It's not 'murder-suicide', it's called Renaissance, and is the latest trend in the courts. Perhaps if you'd cared about such things, you'd know. But no, instead you go chasing after servant girls." Eldon grinned, "Hey, I seem to be having more luck than you," Giddy's answer was a slap upside the head.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper saw her youngest brother, he wore the same clothing as she did, but with his hood down, revealing his spikier dark blue hair. She managed to struggle from her middle brother's grasp and trotted over to him. She spoke in a worried voice, "B-boulder, why d-d-do you always run off?" Boulder, the youngest of her elder brothers caught piper's head in his arm and noogied her, causing her to squeal in protest. He pushed her off and ignored her question, then he walked in the opposite direction, walking like he was a stud-muffin, leaving Piper alone in the market place. She sighed and turned to go back to Slith, who had somehow dissapeared. Piper turned around in confused circles searching for any of her brothers. She stopped shivering, she could probably get back to her house alone...probably.  
**SwissArmySpork**Reaching the market square, Gideon paused, shielding his eyes from the sun and regarding the space. It was rare he came here, and he was surprised by quite how much grime layered the ground, looking down, he quickly took a step back to see he was standing in a suspicious grey slush. He turned to say something to Eldon, to find him watching him in amusement, seeming perfectly at ease. "See? This is what I mean. You need to get out more." Gideon scowled, gathering the hem of his robe up with one hand and pulling Eldon along with the other as he walked to the slightly cleaner centre of the square, "Let's hurry up and get this done so we can get out of this pig-sty. What is it we need?" Noticing the mischievous smile on his brother's face, Gideon tightened his grip warningly. Eldon nodded toward a large stand in the corner, covered by a sheet of blue and white fabric, blood caked on the cobble-stones around it. Gideon, after taking a glance at the butchery, turned to sharply glare at his younger brother. "Really?! Of all things, you schedule this little promenade on the day we need meat?!" With an irritated huff, he let go of Eldon's arm, "I am NOT touching that."

**wingedhatchling**Piper called out her brother's names, well her eldest and youngest brother's names. She didn't dare call out her middle brother's name. If she called out his name, then who knew who might show up. Piper sided and she retraced her steps back to the food section of the markets. She had sold some of her homemade pies to the bakery this morning, one of her brothers would hopefully follow his nose back to the food. Boulder usually like to get something to stuff in his face on the way home. After all his love of eating everything in front of him was how he had gotten his name. Piper giggled to herself as she thought of the story.  
**SwissArmySpork**"You know, I'd love to carry it all myself..." Eldon began, walking in casual circles around Gideon, who was furiously kneading the fabric of his robe between his fingers, as if trying to rub a hole in it, "Really I would. I can imagine how hard it would be to get all that blood out of your favourite white coat..." Gideon stepped out in front of him, breaking up the third circle, "And why exactly can't you?" Eldon looked apologetic, but was obviously only barely hold back a smile, "We need to get 300 pounds." Gideon stared. That was not a normal figure, "The governor from the city over the mountain is visiting, remember? And he ought to be bringing his family, if I remember correctly. Plus there's the servants..." Still no comment from Giddy.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper sighed and leaned against the bakery's stand where customers could look and select their food. Her nose twitched as she glanced at the freshly baked bread. Reaching into her jacket's pocket she was disappointed to find nothing. Oh that was right she had given all of her money to her middle brother. Now she had nothing to do but wait. Her nose twitched again, the smell of fresh meat caused to her mouth to water a little. But she suppressed her carnivore urges quite easily. Well sort of easy, not very easily at all. She looked at the ground trying to distract herself, oh a copper piece. She could buy a cookie. Piper leaned over to retrieve it.  
**SwissArmySpork**"You're bloody mad! That's more than both of us weigh together." Gideon cried, gesturing wildly, causing a couple curious glances, "Why can't we just have it delivered as usual? Or send someone to pick it up?" Eldon stepped forward, trying to calm Gideon down, "Shh! You're making a scene. Jeez, for being the one being concerned with appearances you're awfully crass." He sighed, shaking his head, "Fine, tell you what. The governor's not coming for another day or two, so that we can get delivered, but we still need about 50 pounds for dinner tonight, and there's no way they'd deliver it in time. So, I'll take 25 and you'll take 25. There, no need to cry about it." Before Gideon could give voice to his irritation, Eldon was gone to make the transaction with the butcher, attracting the glances of a couple beggars with his enthusiastic display of gold. Gideon looked around, fiddling with a lock of hair. 25 pounds wasn't that bad...but the fact that it was meat, and it was bloody and generally disgusting certainly was. Whatever Eldon said, he WOULD NOT touch that stuff. The simplicity of the solution nearly made him face-palm, had he not been worrying about his public image. Picking out a slightly-less-unsavory character than most of the others, he approached her, careful to avoid touching the people making up the crowd, as if afraid to catch the plague. "Good morning, mademoiselle," he said looking down at her, leaned over as she was. Perhaps a girl wasn't the best choice, but it was only 25 pounds, and besides, he would not want to come within a foot of any of the men around here.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper looked up at a tall slimmer type of man, she instantly stood feeling embarrassed about being caught leaning over. As she stood her face came into light and so did her actual hieght. The top of her head didn't even reach the man's shoulders. She felt a light annoyance at her shortness. "Y-yes?' She asked cautiously. Usually strange men coming up to a young women in the market place was a dangerou thing, especially if they siad something like I have a job for you.  
**SwissArmySpork**Giddy considered a proper introduction for a moment, but to bow down to one of the common brood...instead he offered a gracious smile and a small nod of the head, "I suppose introductions are in order. I am Gideon Avoltaine, of the family by the same name," he paused meaningfully, as if allowing this to sink in, then continued," and I fear I must request a favour of you. You see, I have been caught in quite the...degrading position, and I believe you may be able to help me. Of course, your service would be rewarded." there was the gleam of gold in his palm, before he replaced the coin back in his pocket, where it clanked sharply against what sounded like many others.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper raised an eyebrow, this man...did not sound like anyone in her family and he certainly was not afraid to show his cash. She did probably have a couple of hours until her brothers came back to maybe try to find her...yet at the same time who knew what this job implied? Piper did not think this way because of vanity, but because of some of her brothers friends that visited time to time. She spoke in her normal softer voice trying not to offend the man in any way, "Umm, I urge you not to f-flash coins like th-that around Sir. About this j-job, what is it exactly?"  
**SwissArmySpork**Gideon paused, looking slightly taken aback. Few who knew his family's name would dare address him quite so forwardly, which naturally led him to assume she was not familiar with it. He chose not to mention this, or her little indiscretion. "Nothing difficult, I assure you. I only need someone to carry something for me. The walk to the ma-" he stopped himself. Perhaps he should keep her in the dark for now, "house should take hardly an hour. " "Hey, Giddy! Hurry up, or you're carrying it all!" Eldon called, leaning against the butcher's stand and waving at Gideon. Giddy glanced at him over his shoulder long enough to wave him off before turning back to the girl, hands clasped loosely behind his back, "Well, Mademoiselle, what do you say? I assure you it will be quite worth it."  
**wingedhatchling**Piper put two fingers on the bridge of her nose thinking for a brief second. She suddenly looked up in interest, "I-I don't suppose I could carry it for a book?" Piper had an odd fascination for reading, currently she owned three books and was very proud of her collection. Books were very expensive after all and no one else in her family really had use for them. She looked up hopefully.  
**SwissArmySpork**"A book?" Gideon asked, restraining his laughter. How odd, to pass up gold for a book. But it was something he could appreciate, being rather fond of literature himself. Enough to start his own library in the manor, despite the family one being more than sufficient. He doubted anyone would mind if one of the books went missing, "If you'd prefer a book then so be it. Now then, we must hurry before my fool of a brother manages to embarrass us more than he already has. " With that, regardless of whether she intended to reply or not, he strode over to Eldon, who was now leaning on two baskets stacked one upon the other, lined with several layers of cloth, which were already turning a light pink. "There you are! And you were accusing me of chasing after servant girls!" He laughed, holding out one of the baskets, "Here, try it out," He said, grinning triumphantly. Finally, his brother would get knocked down from his high horse.  
**wingedhatchling**"Thank you," Piper responded and she easily took the basket. She braced herself for a heavy load but was pleasantly surprised when she could probably carry at least four of them. In fact as she lifted it she actually felt a little awkward. Had the tall robed man actually been worried about a burden such as this? Although as she glanced at him noting his cleaness and white clothing and as a the cloth covering the basket became a darker shade of pink she understood. The girl lined herself up with the man's brother, ready to take off.  
**SwissArmySpork**Eldon looked at her in surprise, the look changing to dissaproval as it passed to Gideon. "Tsk, I shoulda guessed." Other than that he said nothing, picking up his own basket and beginning to thread his way through the crowd back to the road, Gideon on his heels, seeming preoccupied with the sky. Eldon turned to the girl carrying the other basket, "Since we're going to be spending the next hour or so walking together, we should at least know each others names." He said in an attempt to break the silence, "My name's Eldon. Unfortunately, I'm his brother." he nodded toward Gideon, his tone joking, although he did seem a little irritated by Giddy at the moment.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper cracked a smile, but she restrained a giggle for the one behind her's sake. "N-nice to meet you Eldon. My name is Piper." She was very grateful for someone to talk to on the walk. If it had just been her and Gideon she would probably be stuttering all over the place, but Eldon's kind words she had only stuttered once in that whole phrase. So she smiled happily as she began to think about being able to talk to everyone that way. As they began to leave the nice part of the market however she started to glance around. They were oddly enough passing through the more slum part of the market and she really didn't want to have to fight today. Especially in a strange territory with strange species of Gijinka around. She might now win after all, which was a strange prospect since when she almost always had a brother with her.  
**SwissArmySpork**Eldon's chatter trailed off as he looked around glumly, frowning at the stooping buildings, their walls rotten and caving in. "I don't understand why father won't let mum and I go ahead and finance the building of new houses." He said to Gideon, who was now walking beside him, looking with distaste around them, "Because, as I've told you before, El, it's a waste of resources. All these savages are going to do is just tear everything up again." Eldon gripped the basket tighter. Although it was difficult to tell, his being pale as he was, his knuckles were turning white, "Waste? By forcing people to live in this filth, we're practically condemning them to sickness! And without a surgeon or even a clean place to sleep, many of them don't get better, and how do you expect them to earn enough to feed themselves and their family when they feel like a fire's started in their skull?" Eldon was shaking, and Giddy, noticing this, gently put a hand on his shoulder, "Keep your voice down, we don't need to attract their attention." "But-" " We've discussed this before, so drop it." Gideon seemed to just now remember Piper, and risked an inconspicuous glance in her direction to gauge her reaction. Eldon was now silent, looking around at the slums as if he wished he could fix it all then and there.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper had been freely listening in. She didn't know much about city slums, she was looking around her with interest. Eldon was right these people needed help, but at the same time it seemed like an overwhelming task to take on. She didn't really know what to make of it so she just cocked her head in confusion and stared right back. She felt that she needed to say something, something to cease the brother's arguments at the very least. When her brothers argued it usually ended in a brawl. Fighting..."S-so do people here hold fights? Err...rather I mean what do p-people do with themselves?"  
**SwissArmySpork**Gideon shrugged, beating Eldon to answering, "Here? Probably. After all, they do live like animals. Whenever I chance by one they are always either groveling at your feet, awaiting their chance to cheat you of your property, or are lazing around hurling insults at respectable people. As for ourselves," he tilted his head upward proudly, the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile, "We, however, do not squabble for such petty things. Only when one's honour has been insulted does one quarrel with another, and then it is a noble affair, not at all the likes of which go on here."  
**wingedhatchling**"Hmm," Piper thought about this for a second. She had known various people in her forest. Almost all forest-dwellers were kind in the summer. Fruit was plentiful and the water never frozen. Yet in the winter, carnivore's instincts came out the strongest. "W-well have you ever been hungry or dirty?" Piper wasn't trying to be high and mighty, she was in fact sharing a little joke with herself. She was quoting her oldest book, a book full of ancient wisdom of philosophers. The particularly funny part of this phrase was that the man who had first stated it had eaten his brother the following winter when all of their food had run out.  
**SwissArmySpork**"No." The brothers answered in unison, only difference being the tones. Eldon's was almost ashamed, while Giddy's was decidedly proud, as if it were the crowning accomplishment of his life. They exchanged glances, then Eldon spoke up, "We have been very fortunate our entire lives. Although I'd readily give it up if we could only help our city's people." Before he could say anything else, Gideon intruded, speaking to Piper, "Why do you ask?"  
**wingedhatchling**Piper smiled a little guiltily, she didn't want to tell them that she found brothers eating each other funny, instead she said her first reason. She did not realize however the stereotypes of savagery that came with living and surviving the 'wild'., "W-well where I live there are plenty of people and almost all o-of them are nice to each other in the summer, because their bellies are full and they're warm. However in the winter the become o-opposites of themselves. A lot of pokemon (Calling them pokemon because I can never remember how to spell Gujinika whatever it is) turn on the weak and eat eachother. Also proud pokemon get on their knees and beg weaker pokemon for food. S-so I was just thinking if you t-two were hungry and dirty th-then maybe you'd have opposite opinions..." Piper was satisfied with that answer and pleased that she had gone for so long talking. It might have been a new record~  
**SwissArmySpork**Eldon and Giddy again exchanged looks. Even Eldon, generally accepting of all, looked slightly uneasy. After all, he had spent his entire life with his family. He, just like Gideon, had heard tales of the wild pokemon and their savagery, something un-heard of in the city. "Yes, perhaps we would if that ever happened." Eldon said gently, before being pulled away by Gideon to a distance they felt they wouldn't be heard, "Bravo, Gideon. Not only do you use a girl as a pack mule, but one that could turn on us any moment, if we do something that sets her off." Gideon pretended to not be bothered, but his frequent glances at Piper clearly said otherwise, "It'll be fine. The moment we reach home, I'll dismiss her, and there, problem solved. And besides, aren't you the one always telling me that every person is unique, or some such foolishness? You see, she's timid. Just listen to how she stutters. Do you really think she'd do anything, especially with us both together?"

**wingedhatchling**Piper felt a surge of surprise as Eldon suddenly pulled away. She was confused of what she had said to make them react in such a manner. She reviewed her words, had she come on too strong? Maybe city people really were a little 'slow' at thinking of things that didn't concern coin as her eldest brother always said. She looked back at Gideon giving him a look of complete bewilderment. Then she looked down at the ground and smiled gravely. Eldon's words had sounded pretty, but now she wondered if he would really give it 'all' up. Even his safety which he seemed to take for granted. Perhaps Gideon was the wise one after all, despite the natural sense of wanting everything he said to be wrong. Then again Eldon could always just as easily be sincere. She looked back up smiling in a friendly manner to the both of them She must have been thinking for a few minutes as almost all of the homes around her had changed.  
**SwissArmySpork**Eldon finally returned to Piper's side, again picking up a some-what awkward conversation. Giddy, walking a couple feet away, seemed to have trouble not staring, and eventually reverted to just fiddling with one of his gloves. Eventually, the houses gave way to finely pruned trees, their bases sprinkled with shrubbery and flowers. The road climbed up a hill, and as the trio ascended it, they could see the first spires of the manor rising above the crest, the sunlight falling dully on the dark shingles and gleaming on the metallic accents.

**wingedhatchling**Piper looked around a little amazed at such surroundings. She had never been somewhere so...organized and...clean. She felt very awkward and out of place. The thought of Gideon and Eldon's family now came to her. They must be fairly wealthy...Piper felt butterfrees in her stomach.  
**wingedhatchling**And not the one her brother Boulder caught for them this morning.  
**SwissArmySpork**Entering the courtyard, they were momentarily surrounded by a swarm of servants, all bowing up and down, giving them the appearance of a churning sea, as they hurriedly relieved them of the baskets and dissipated back to their duties, save a couple who remained to see if they needed anything, before being shooed away by Eldon. "Sorry about that. The servants are usually a bit on edge when dad is home." he said, turning to Piper with a slightly sheepish smile. "You mean they do their duties for once." Gideon said with a harsh laugh, walking up to the doors of the manor, which were immediately opened by a servant dressed in fine livery. Pale green banners adorned the walls at regular intervals. Each one was adorned with a triumphantly rearing white rapidash, which looked oddly more demonic than the snake entwined about its horn, its open-mouthed head impaled upon the tip of the horn.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper could only stand, mouth agape her hands sill holding an invisible basket. She realized that the two brothers were entering the manner and began to follow. However with a second look inside she couldn't bring herself to enter. Was she even allowed to look inside? She glanced at the banners, it must be their family crest. It made her feel a bit better to see a rapidash even if it looked...like that. Piper took a step forward and then a step back. She looked around for help and finding none she piped up her voice nervously, "U-umm sh-should I just w-wait out here?"  
**SwissArmySpork**"Nonsense! Come in, you're welcome here of course." Eldon called, pausing to glance behind. Seeing how nervous she looked, he retraced his steps to her side and offered her his arm. Gideon stopped, turning around to watch them. He hoped for Eldon's sake their father didn't catch him treating her so. It wouldn't end well for him at all. Suddenly he frowned. But then, why was Eldon being all friendly with the girl to begin with, when she was really his to concern himself with. At this though, he strode over to them, gesturing for Eldon to move. "Don't mind my brother, if you please. I will escort you mademoiselle. Wouldn't want you messing with things you oughtn't mess with." He said with a frigid smile. Unlike Eldon, he made no move to offer her his arm, or any manner of such courtesy, really.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper still a little culture shocked said, "I-I wouldn't dare t-touch anything..." She had been flustered at Eldon's gentlemeness and was glad that Gideon did not offer his arm to her. She wouldn't have known what to do really. She followed the brothers closely trying to stay small behind them and for once being glad for her natural shortness. She smiled kindly at the servants, not really not knowing what to make of them. What a strange concept to have a house so big that you had to enlist people too take care of it. She briefly wondered what their parents did to gain such wealth.

**SwissArmySpork**"There you two are!" A bell-like voice rang out from the staircase, where the owner of the voice was standing, a tall woman in a beige gown, one hand resting upon the staircase, smiling softly. " I suppose I really should be mad at you two for running of like that, but to see Gideon out of the house for once..." She shook he head, laughing, before gliding down the stairs to stand in front of them, "Oh, who's this?"

**wingedhatchling** Piper smiled nervously at the beautiful woman. She looked at her feet not sure whether to reply or not "H-hello Ma'am," Piper stuttered out nervously. She was a little frightened of the women, not in the sense that she was frightened of her own mother, but in an odd new kind of way. As if the women's opinion would decide Piper's own accomplishments as a women and person.  
**SwissArmySpork**She smiled warmly, looking at her sons in joking disapproval, "Well, what have you two done to make her behave so? Or should I say what did Gideon do," Giddy looked away with a slight pout at her good-natured laugh. She turned back to Piper with a small shake of the head, "It's all right dear, you need not stand on propriety. I never much cared for forcing such things upon people not familiar with them," she unconsciously looked up to the banners, her voice quieting down as if imparting a secret. "Now then," she said, clapping her hands together, "What brings you here, hm? Oh, don't tell me one of them is up to their schemes again." She said, leaning in a little and gesturing toward the two brothers, the amusement clear in her features.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper smiled at the women's friendliness and giggled at her jokes. She herself relaxed and felt very ridiculous at having been so nervous in the first place. "W-well I don't know what they're planning, b-but I just came along to h-help with a chore. I was just about to get a book I think." The cyndaquil (Still categorizing them by pokemon names...because it's easy) smiled to herself as she remembered her main mission. She briefly thought back to her brothers, were they looking for her? No they must still be doing things in the town. She would have at least an hour or so...if of course one of them didn't get in a 'misunderstanding' with local law enforcers again.  
**SwissArmySpork**"A book? Well, I am certain-" Gideon's mother began. As she spoke Gideon stepped forward and lightly placed a hand on Piper's shoulder, almost as if uneasy about touching her. "Thank you for your concern, mother, but I can handle it myself. Now then...Piper, was it? Yes, come now, and we'll get you your book, and you'll be on your way." He forced a smile, then steered her around his mother, who was watching him with something between sadness and resignation. Gideon led the way up the stairs, not noticing the form of his father, standing at the head of the stairs, watching them coldly with arms folded.


	2. The book

**wingedhatchling**Piper flinched at Giddy's touch and instantly moved forward, she nodded at the mention of her name and began to walk. She glanced back, looking between the mother and Gideon. She could sense something although she definitely felt it was none of her business to sense. So she looked back forward her eyes following the long row of stairs. Then she noticed a pair of fancy shoes standing at the top of the stairs. She looked up and looked into a face that was very similar to her middle brother when he was enraged. Her body language immediately once again became submissive and her gaze dropped to the floor.  
**SwissArmySpork**"What precisely do you mean by this?" The man asked, each word like a dagger-hard and sharp. Gideon jerked to a standstill, doing his best to avoid the imperious gaze of his father, "I hired her to do me a service, and now I have to pay her, nothing more." He answered, his voice similarly cold. His father stepped down the stairs to be right in front of them, "You hired her, did you? So the servants are no longer good enough for the likes of you, is that so, Gideon?" Giddy was silent, staring darkly at the banner on the wall opposite. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. "Hmph. I do not care if you scorn what I provide for you," His father sneered, all the while examining Piper as if she were some trinket for sale, "I only ask that you do not embarrass me with your poor taste." With that he turned away, again ascending the stairs. "It was Eldon's fault!" Giddy piped up suddenly, stepping up onto the next step as if to follow his father, who turned around slowly, a barely perceptible smile on his lips, "Is that so?"  
**wingedhatchling**Piper had been taking the ridicule, but as soon as Gideon spoke her had snapped up and she stared at Giddy. The way he had been acting...she thought that he would be protective of his brother at the very least. Or...could Giddy yearn for his father's affection or something so much that he would slip up and say something like this? Or was Piper reading way too much of her philosophy book? Her stomach clenched at the father's smile and words. Giddy had made a mistake. She wanted to step in and help him or correct his words, but...but she just wasn't brave enough. Piper's gaze slid back to the floor and she waited for the disaster that was about to strike.  
**SwissArmySpork**Gideon nodded, not daring to look back to where he knew Eldon was watching, listening. "Y-yes. It was he who forced me to go to the market. He had made sure that the servants would not be present, and that we would have to do a job degrading even to them. You know his tendencies, Father, how he is always attempting to be like the peasants." he sounded more plaintive than anything now. His father nodded to him to continue, "I-I sought only to preserve our honour in hiring her. I would not dare drag our name through the dirt like my brother would." He finished, looking down as if he were a naughty child about to be hit. His father seemed to consider the explanation before speaking, "Yet you did not resist him. It would have been the height of simplicity to call the servants to you before you leave, as is the custom " he paused, "Although, I suppose your 'condition' considered, such forceful action would be too much to expect." Giddy clenched his fists at this, but otherwise did not respond. "Very well, do what you must." His father resumed with a dismissive gesture, beginning past them down the stairs, "I will take care of this situation. Now get out of my sight." Giddy did not wait for further encouragement, and hurriedly climbed the stairs to the second floor, dragging Piper behind him, and led her into the first hall he caught sight of. Glancing over his shoulder, he caught a glance of his family; his mother and brother stood side by side, his mother resolute and straight-backed, his brother looking betrayed and shocked, as if not believing what was happening. And his father, walking languidly toward them, as if on a relaxing after-noon stroll.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper glanced back as well, suddenly filled with a feeling of wanting to somehow make everything better, to fix the misunderstanding. She ignored it and continued to follow Gideon. She concentrated on the back of his head as she continued to think. What had his father meant his 'condition'. Was he...like her? No, he was certainly often provoked, but not forced to fight. Not with those manicured nails. She thought some more and then decided it must be out of her knowledge. After all she didn't often run into Giddy and Eldon's species that often, in fact she had never run into their species before. She was going to ask Giddy more about this, but then took note that he was probably upset, so she kept her mouth shut and made sure to not drag him behind.  
**wingedhatchling**She glanced to her bag and then glanced at Giddy. She made a brief decision for when they reached their destination.  
**SwissArmySpork**Giddy walked in silence, not even acknowledging Piper's presence. He had been technically telling the truth, so he had actually done the right thing...right? Besides, it was really Eldon's fault they were in this mess to begin with, so it wouldn't have been fair for him to take the blame. Feeling somewhat better about what he had done, he looked around to get his bearings. They were in the eastern wing. Giddy had planned on letting her nick something from the family library, but that was on the other side of the manor. Besides, he didn't feel like risking an encounter with his family at the moment. They'd just have to go to his private library. Stopping at a door at the end of the hall, he opened it and ushered her inside. Tall windows took up the spaces left bare of book-shelves, looking out on the forest. Being situation in the corner of the building, the room was shaped like a lop-sided triangle, tapering into a corner which was taken up by a large, dusty telescope, its large lens cracked and grimy. Giddy walked over to a chair, yanking on a rope in an alcove of the wall as he passed, before collapsing into a large arm-chair in the corner. Somewhere in the distance could be heard the faint sound of bells, increasingly faint. "Well, help yourself. Most of these are replaceable."  
**wingedhatchling**Piper looked around amazed, She bent her head so far back to gaze that she nearly tumbled backwards and her hood fell down. She blushed a little, embarrassed and pulled her hood back up, covering most of her dark hair and the green ribbon her eldest brother had given to her. She remembered her decision about Giddy and her bag. She walked over to him, searching through the bag on her hip as she did so. She took out a piece of neatly wrapped pie, along with a fork, paper plate, and napkin. She heated it in her hand and then set it on the arm of the chair. She then turned her attention back to the books, walking around the bookshelves like she had just come upon the holy grail.  
**SwissArmySpork**Giddy looked at the pie in confusion, then to Piper, then back to the pie. It was a pie, clearly, but was there more to it? Then he smiled, shaking his head. Just this one time, he wouldn't read too much into it. Just as he picked up the fork, the door opened and the servant he had called bowed in, already holding a bottle and glass. By now the servants knew they were only called into Gideon's library for one reason. Silently the servant set the glass and bottle on a small table beside Giddy, carefully pouring the wine into a glass. "Bring us a second glass, if you will." Gideon muttered, not even looking at her. The treatment was not uncommon, and with a bow she set the bottle down and hurried back out to get the second glass. "Would you care for a glass?" Giddy called, picking up his glass and idly swirling the whine around, the fork still in his other hand.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper looked at the glass curiously. Some of her family loved alcoholic drinks and were a joy to be around when they drank, but some of them were also...not so pleasant to be around. She was curious (and a complete glutton) she nodded slowly, "O-only one glass, thank you."  
**SwissArmySpork**Almost as if on cue, the door again opened and a second glass was brought and poured. Gideon nodded toward Piper, and the servant brought her the glass, then again left, leaving them alone. It was one of the finer wines, well aged. His father was incredibly picky about the wines they kept around the house, and Giddy never thought twice about taking any bottle he pleased for personal use. "Have you chosen a book yet?" He asked, taking a delicate sip from his glass.  
**wingedhatchling**She took a sip, blanched and quickly covered her mouth. It was awful. She forced herself to swallow, gave Giddy a shaky smile and set the glass down politely. "W-well I noticed a book on a-ancient mythology. It s-seems interesting, I've only ever heard about m-mew and arceus from talkative t-travelers."  
**SwissArmySpork**"Ah, yes, fascinating characters, both." He said contemptuously, teasing the pie with his fork, before breaking off a piece and lifting it up for examination with the fork, "It is quite ridiculous how often they are mentioned in the books."  
**wingedhatchling**Piper looked at him in curiosity. If they were mentioned so many times then perhaps they could be...No that was a ridiculous idea. Piper noticed Giddy playing with his food, did he suspect poison or something of that nature? Piper smiled lightly, amused at her own thoughts. If she had poisoned her pies, then her youngest brother would probably be dead by now. The way he scarfed down things. She went back to the book shelf and gently coaxed her chosen book out of it's cozy shelf. It was rather large with a rather cool title page. She found the page of contents, double checking on the content. Then she walked back over to Giddy with her mythology book.  
**SwissArmySpork**He finally put a piece in his mouth as she came over, so she was forced to stand in silence for a moment while he chewed, as he refused to speak with his mouth full. That being complete, he looked curiously at the book she had chosen, starting a little to see which one it was. It was not that he minded her taking it, in fact he was glad for it, but the thing's acquisition had a slightly uneasy history. "Ah, I see I am finally rid of that behemoth." He said with a somewhat forced laugh, quickly returning to the pie for an excuse to not say anything more for the moment.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper looked at him in confusion, was there something wrong with it. She opened it, flipping through the pages, checking for scribbles or mouth-eaten pages. She found none and glanced back up in confusion at Giddy. She glanced down and up a few more times and then asked, "I-Is there something wrong with it?"  
**SwissArmySpork**He held up the fork as a sign for her to wait, chewing unusually slowly. The time having dragged out to almost awkward lengths, he finally answered, "No, no. Not at all. It's simply so bulky and takes up so much space. " He did his best not to look at the row of empty shelves along one of the walls. He again picked up the glass, "And besides, it has a...complicated history." He muttered into the rim of the wine-glass before drinking from it. If she'd heard that, then he supposed he'd have to tell. It was nothing too bad anyways. If she didn't, all the better, he'd just say 'nothing' and move on with it.  
**wingedhatchling**She stared at him for a very long time, why was he lying? Why was he acting like he was...afraid to tell her? "Umm...w-well if you don't want to tell me if it's personal..." She looked down at the book again. Now she just really wanted to read it.

**SwissArmySpork**"Eh, I suppose it's not too personal." He answered. The smell and taste of the wine had calmed him down after the little encounter with his father, and in hind-sight the whole incident seemed somewhat ridiculous. As for the story...well, it really wasn't anything too bad, and besides, she'd be gone for good soon, never to be seen again, so what did it matter? And it was quite the interesting story, besides. "Feel free to find a chair." He said, gesturing around the room to the chairs he knew were somewhere around.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper glanced around, turning in a couple of circles. She grabbed a simple wooden stool that had been hidden away in a nook of the room. She picked it up easily and set it a respectful distance in front of Giddy. She then hopped up on it, sitting with her legs crossed and hands clasped together. She loved stories and was interested in this one especially. Although what time was it? She glanced to a window, she still had a little light left. Her brothers wouldn't be ready to leave until dusk after all and if they didn't find her maybe they would simply leave her to find her own way home.  
**SwissArmySpork**"Now then, let us start. This was...oh, two years ago, maybe? Or was it four...I can't remember." He shrugged, giving up trying to remember, "It's been a couple years. Anyhow, my father got me engaged to this girl. A very frail, delicate thing, classic aristocracy. I didn't really give a two-pence about the girl, but what can you do? That's how things worked." He laughed, shaking his head at the memory, "So I went along with it for a while. Then we actually got introduced." He paused to take another sip from his glass.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper listened with more interest. Something about arranged marriages always interested her. Probably simply the 'what would you do' situation that it created, that or her female side coming out. She waited patiently for the story to continue. Glancing at her own glass, wondering if she should have a sip. It did create a pleasant burning sensation, yet did she really want that taste...no that smell under her nose again?  
**SwissArmySpork**"She was positively the most pathetic, maddeningly timid creature I have ever seen. I swear, you'd think she didn't know how to speak above a whisper. Ugh, her company was simply infuriating. I couldn't understand a word she mumbled." He growled, sitting back in his arm-chair, the wine which he still held in his hand nearly touching the lip of the glass. " Ah, and then there were all those little 'accidental encounters.' If she wasn't so meek you'd think I was the one being courted here. But noooo, she couldn't just directly spend time with me, it had to be an accidental run-in here, or her property magical appearing in my path, and then later her whining about how she'd lost this or that." He sighed, taking an unusually large drink, then lapsing into a brief silence in an attempt to recall exactly what had happened next. He had become a little more animated, speaking louder and faster, really getting into the story.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper nodded, that would be annoying. Then the thought of her own stutter came to her mind and she suddenly felt a little ashamed. At least others could hear her though. What kind of pokemon had the fiancée been? And why had she found Giddy so attractive? Well, that wasn't really a fair question to ask, everyone had their own type. For example her mother preferred physically strong men. The cyndaquil smiled slightly at the thought of her mother's opinion on Giddy's father and how she would probably tell Giddy's mother about a few other 'options' that she could hook her up with. Oh heaven forbid that they ever met each other.  
**SwissArmySpork**"I managed to tolerate it for a while, but the idea of being in wedlock with the foolish girl… My apologies, but I had rather be married to a corpse." Giddy scowled, "I knew my father wouldn't call it off, so I did my best to graciously convey to her my distaste. Naturally, none of it got through her thick skull. If anything, it seemed to encourage the fool." He remembered that part well. Everywhere he went, she'd either happen to be there, or beg to accompany him. Saying no would simply infuriate her family, and there seemed to never be an excuse she would accept. "My best efforts did not seem to yield any fruit, and I admit I was a bit desperate when my father invited her and her family to a dinner to celebrate the engagement...three days before the wedding, I think it was." He remembered that night well too, a lavish affair even by his standards.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper felt a little sympathy for both of them. The girl had obviously had her heart broken, or something like that, and Giddy had probably gotten in major trouble. After all, he obviously wasn't married. Unless of course she was locked away in a tower, but Piper highly doubted something like that would be allowed by her family. She leaned in a little as the climax of the story seemed to near.  
**SwissArmySpork**"Well, I dare-say the evening began splendidly," he resumed sarcastically. He was on his third glass of wine by now, "when it was discovered that she was a music student who but Eldon to suggest we do a duet at the piano?" He leaned on the arm of the chair, propping his head up in his hand as he spoke, "after that there was no way she'd leave me alone. The whole dinner she clung to my arm unless she was other-wise occupied. I did my best to divert her to Eldon, figuring he'd keep her occupied with all his silly prattle, but that was a dream at best." He snorted. Yeah, to get her to let go of him for a moment, let alone for long enough to get into a conversation with his brother was a thing of fantasy. "Thankfully she got distracted by my parents near the end of the dinner, and I managed to slip away and hide in here." He gestured around, leaning back to look at the ceiling, a mosaic made to represent the globe, "Of course it isn't long before I hear a knock, and one of the servants asking permission to enter with the soon-to-be Lady Avoltaine. I would've sent her away, but apparently the girl had brought a book as a gift." He pointed to the book in Piper's hands, "You can guess which one it was. As my collection at the time was quite sparse, I couldn't refuse."  
**wingedhatchling**Piper looked and stared at the cover in surprise. So then, it was a gift of one-sided love. She briefly thumbed the edge of the pages in thought. Could she still take it? Well that really depended, Piper supposed, on how Giddy and the girl's relationship ended. Piper looked back up at Giddy and (making sure it was loud and clear) in her curious voice asked "How did you get out of the r-relationship."  
**SwissArmySpork**He leaned toward her suddenly, putting up a finger as if to shush her, "Shh, don't interrupt. Do you think I'd leave that out?" He asked, then with a pat on her head as if she were some dog he slowly relaxed back into his chair, "Now then, you made me lose my place...oh yes. So, I allowed her in, and sure enough she gave me the book, bookmarked with a rose to the back page where she'd scribbled some silly love poem." he rolled his eyes, looking disdainfully at the book, "I thought of tearing the page out, but it made for a nice laugh every once in a while so I left it. Really, it's brilliantly awful. Anyhow, it turns out she's not so timid when we're alone. We spent a good ten minutes in an odd little dance as I did my best to keep as far away from her as I could, a lot of circling around chairs and accidentally knocked over books. I do believe I finally managed to wear her out as she eventually excused herself and left. Later than night I drafted a little love poem of my own." He grinned widely, remembering the writing of it. Perhaps it was a bit harsh, but after that night he felt it justified. "I then made her a gift similar to her own, a book about the embalming of bodies, very detailed, I almost regret giving it up, the page book-marked by a branch of nettle, and my most eloquent poem wedged between two rather lovely pictures in the book. Her family called off the wedding the next morning." He sat back with a satisfied smile, and rewarded himself with another glass of wine.

**wingedhatchling**Piper hunched her shoulders, a little uncomfortable with being pat on the head. She nodded in agreement, it had been a very intelligent plan as well as a harsh one. She herself could imagine the girl reading the letter and bursting into enraged tears. In fact from the sound of the girl, Giddy should probably be careful where he went. Who knew how determined the girl would be to get or even get rid off Giddy now. Yet it had been a few years, so hopefully he was in no danger from the ex-fiancée. Piper looked down at the book and flipped to the back to glance over the poem. Her face turned red as she read. She shut the book after the fourth line, the girl had by no means been innocent. Now Piper faced the problem of whether to keep the book or not. She really did want to, the pictures were beautiful and the writing style beckoned her eyes along the page. The cyndaquil continued to think, looking at the wonderful cover of the book.  
**SwissArmySpork**Giddy watched her silently for a while, then turned his attention to the wine bottle, frowning to find it empty, "Oh, I didn't realize..." He trailed of with a shrug, getting up and walking somewhat unsteadily to a nearby bookshelf, using it both for support and occupation, pulling a random book of poetry down and flipping through it, "As I said, you're welcome to take the thing. But if you chose not to..." he slipped the book back into its place, pulling another one haphazardly down, "There are plenty of others."  
**wingedhatchling**Piper gave the book another nervous glance. She doubted there would be another one with the same quality as this book. She could always cover the poem and try to put it's background out of her mind..."If you have another one on mythology," She questioned doubtfully and looked back up noting Giddy's wobblyness and unsteady motions. If he wasn't careful he might pull a bookshelf down on himself. "B-be careful." She quickly rose and went to Giddy's side. She put out both of her hands, as if prepared to catch the bookshelf.  
**SwissArmySpork**"What are you doing?" He asked, taking a step away and standing still, watching her suspiciously. Why did this situation seem so familiar? That is, familiar in the bad, uncomfortable way.  
**wingedhatchling**"The bookshelf. I-It looked like it it was going to fall," Piper responded and she herself took a respectful step back. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea or anything, it wasn't like she was bloodthirsty...at least not in her present state.  
**SwissArmySpork**He looked the book-shelf up and down, folding his arms, "Mhm, I wouldn't say so. And I do believe my bookshelf would agree with me. Yes, seems perfectly stable to me." Finishing his inspection of the bookshelf, he turned back to keep an eye on his guest, "Didn't you ask me a question earlier? I could've sworn you did." He asked with a frown, looking to the bookshelf as if for confirmation.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper looked at the bookshelf. What would it say if it could speak? It would probably complain about dust. "Hmm? Oh I-I was just wondering if there were any other books on mythology." However now Piper simply wanted to head back home and read the book she had. She glanced outside once again and gasped. It was dusk outside, "Oh no, I have to go. Th-this book will do fine. Thank you!" She looked around very nervously, what would her brothers do if she didn't meet them? She shuddered a little and put a hand on her shoulder self-consciously?  
**SwissArmySpork**Giddy nodded, striding back to his chair and sitting down again "Splendid. Have a good night and all that." He called, opening the book he was still holding, and burying his nose in it.  
**wingedhatchling**Piper slipped the book into her bag and rushed for the door. "G-goodbye! Thank you!" She called back to Giddy as she ran. She ran through the mansion, running past Eldon. Once she was out of the house she activated her quick attack and sped into the road. Her high agility allowing her to swivel onto the sidewalk and run straight into a very large man. The large man turned around sharply and glared down at the cyndaquil. "H-hello, b-brother," Piper greeted her eldest brother, shaking. "Your late," He stated as a simple fact. Then he hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her back to their family. Piper was carried all the way. She covered her face with her book so she couldn't see the townspeople's expressions as they watched her go by.


End file.
